Most people enjoy displaying pictures of friends and family at various locations around their homes or at their place of work. In spite of the changes that may take place in those pictured, the same pictures are typically displayed for months or years. Still images of friends and family are most frequently shared in the form of photographic prints, while some individuals may share video with others in the form of videotapes and DVDs. Sending the latest photos or videos to friends or relatives requires the sender to get duplicate prints or copy a videotape or DVD, pack up the media, and ship it to the intended recipient. When received, the old pictures are removed from each of the frames and the new picture inserted. The viewing of video media is normally limited to a place where the necessary equipment resides.
Individuals that own photo scanners, digital cameras, or camcorders may send the latest pictures or video by attaching to an email message files containing the digital still images or digitized video. This method works for still and motion video, sound, and music, but does require that the sending and receiving parties be sufficiently savvy, and own the software tools needed to support the scanning/uploading, attaching, detaching, and displaying/playing that is involved. The files containing the digital media content can be quite large, and may require long upload/download times if a dial-up Internet connection is used. In addition, digital still photos must be printed if the recipient wishes to display them, and motion video must either be viewed on the screen of a PC, or written to a video tape or DVD to be viewed using a VCR or DVD player and a television set.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.